Arrows extended flight

Chapter 3

We decided to take the mission Sara picked out.

I don't know how she did it, but the first mission she picked out was the best one of all the options we had run a fine comb over. The travel distance was not only optimal, but Gyuranza was also the capital of the Neris Dukedom and therefore a fantastic place to network. Cultivating connections with the higher-ups of that place should allow me to get in contact with the other magic nations of Basherant and Ranoa before even stepping foot in them.

"Plus, we might get to know any paid passengers wanting a ride," Timothy added.

"That was how we met after all," I reply with a smile.

The wagon driver was discussing the route with our client, Karpesh, a brown-skinned man. They were going over the journey from Rosenburg to Gyuranza, highlighting plains, foothills, and potential hazards.

The formation we decided on was as follows:

Suzanne and Patrice are our two warriors. They are positioned at the front and rear of the caravan to guard against frontal assaults and rear ambushes.

Sara: As an expert archer, her keen eyesight and quick reflexes make her valuable for spotting danger, so she would ride alongside the caravan and occasionally scout ahead.

Timothy and I ride inside the caravan on standby for either support or attack magic, while I occasionally ride with Sara to provide terrain modification.

The paid passengers looked like they had a couple of fighters among them, so they should also add extra muscle to the security detail if needed.

Finishing up his talk with the lead driver, Karpesh walks up to us and asks a question: "You guys are mages, right? My most valuable goods are stored in hidden compartments and equipped with lock-type magic items I purchased, so I figured I'd share the trigger with you."

Magic items are objects infused with mana that possess unique and specific abilities. By performing a specific action or trigger, the user can activate the item's magical effect. Magic items have a limited number of uses per day, but their mana reserves naturally replenish over time.

He pulls out a carved wooden token. "Press this symbol and say 'Luzarn' to unlock the compartments," he explains.

I nod, taking the token from Karpesh. "Got it. 'Luzarn' to unlock and 'Frasar' to re-lock."

"The token can handle about five uses per day," Karpesh adds. "More than enough for our journey."

"Understood," I say, slipping the token into a secure pocket. "Thanks for trusting us with this."

"Even without barrier magic, I trust Counter Arrow," Karpesh replies before returning to his preparations.

Sara kicked a stone into the forest. "Did he have to mention barrier magic?" she grumbled. "Rudeus is the best mage I've ever met. It's not your fault those Millis pricks stopped you from learning it."

Timothy told me that the Millis faith owned the rights to both divine and barrier magic. A deceased member of Counter Arrow named Mimir actually used divine magic when we encountered a wraith in the Galgau ruins three months into my stay at Rosenburg, but it was illegal for him to teach it to me.

If he violated the law, then the Millis Faith would've hunted him down and put him on trial.

"It's understandable. Everyone wants maximum protection for their valuables," Timothy said with a reassuring smile. "Though I agree that Rudeus is amazing, not only is he skilled in multiple schools of magic, but he's the first silent spellcaster I've seen since my teacher at the academy."